An Introduction

[rivx]

Hi!

I'm River. Currently, I'm birdless, though I've owned several parakeets in the past. We're only considering a bird at this point, as there are a lot of things to consider and a lot of research to do. This is, in part, why I joined this forum.

I'm not sure what to say about myself, personally. I like music, Marvel, animals, and Patrick Swayze. I use he/him pronouns. I do have a few questions regarding birds, and I hope it's okay to ask it here.

I have a lot of animals - four rabbits, three dogs, and two mice. None of them have ever shown an interest in smaller pets, and of course, will have no interaction with the bird. However, the dogs can be fairly loud - chihuahuas. Would this pose as an issue?

How often should a bird see a vet? I'm aware some animals with longer lifespans will need annual visits, and the internet is fairly controversial on whether or not this is true for all birds.

How likely is a bird to escape from the cage? How can any escapes be prevented? I had some escapee ground squirrels in the past that required full-on locks on the doors. Is this required for birds?

I'm interested in mostly larger small birds and medium birds. We're particularly looking into Quaker parrots, conures, and cockatiels. As far as these birds go, what's the recommended diet? If you have any preferred brand, feel free to recommend. I'll also supplement with vegetables and fruits, of course.

Lastly, as a younger person, I do have plans to leave for college. I'm not sure if I'll ever leave state, but if I do, it's very likely it'll come along. However, my mother also loves birds and will participate in it's care, so either way, it'll always have someone to stay with. Does this situation sound okay?

Any other tips are greatly appreciated. Sorry for the length of this post!

[Dragonlady2]

Welcome to the forum River! It's great that you are doing your research before getting your feathered friend. I will try to help you with your questions.
1. As long as you keep your other animals from your bird, you shouldn't have any trouble. This may mean a seaparate room for your bird to keep it from feeling threatened by your other pets.
2. Vet visits...some people have their bird seen by the vet yearly, some bi-yearly and others when they feel their bird requires it. It is important to ensure that the vet is an Avian vet and at any time that your bird is showing any sign that they are not well, an immediate appointment would be advised as birds that are showing signs of illness are usually quite ill by then.
3. Seeing that you have an interest in Quakers, conures or cockatiels, a good cage with sliding locks will probably suffice as these birds are not noted to be escape artists, although there is always the exception.
4. As for diet it is important to have a varied diet that includes pellets, fresh fruit and vegetables and a small amount of seed as a treat. There are quite a few different pellets on the market. Uncoloured pellets seem to cause fewer issues than the coloured fruity ones.
5. I think you would need to look at your situation when you go to college. Will you be rooming with someone, will you have a part time job. Ideally birds do well with structured routine. It may be better to leave it with your mother if you have a crazy schedule while you are at college.

Hope these answers help a little. Please feel free to ask more questions and stay and browse through the forums for more information.

[Quakerella]

Hi River and welcome.

I agree with the information given to you by Helena.

I would just like to add a little something. From what you have told us I would reconsider a quaker under your circumstances. Not to disagree with Helena, but from my own experiences with my quakers, they are able to escape from their cages quite quickly if not locked. I have one that got out of his cage, flew to my eastern Rosella's cage and lifted the flap of the food dish door to get in. He will also take the screws out of the doors. Again, this is just from my time with quakers.

As for going off to school Helena is completely right, your circumstances will dictate whether you are able to take a bird with you. Normally if in residence they will not allow pets due to health issues and allergies. This would also be a concern if you are rooming with someone else. Also, some birds are quite noisy and this may disturb your roommate/s, especially at exam time. :th_wink:

The only other thing that would concern me is the strong bond some quakers seem to have with their main caregiver and others can not approach them. I have seen this often. This may be a concern if a quaker bonds to you, and when you leave for school your mother is not able to socialize and handle him. At this point he may resort to becoming wild and aggressive. Conures and cockatiels don't seem to have the territorial trait as quakers do.

Nice to see you are doing your research, it is so important for the happiness of you and your bird.
Please keep us posted and there is a lot of information on the site to do some extra research.

[Dragonlady2]

I would agree with Rosalyn about the Quakers. I forgot about their propensity for being one person birds. It's always good to get more information from other people who have experience. Keep researching River. I am sure that you will find the right bird for you.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Hi River and welcome to PP
When you do make a decision on the type of bird it would be wonderful if you would investigate the possibility of becoming the lifetime guardian of a rescue bird. Give a little bird who for whatever reason (and make sure you find out that reason before committing) a new and loving home.

[rivx]

After what research I've done, I assume the lock idea is a 'better safe than sorry' thing I'd go through with anyhow. Is there any preferred type of lock for bird cages? The parakeets never had a thing for escaping, so locks aren't something I've dealt with.

I see the concerns with a Quaker - particularly with their tendency to bond to one person only. My mom has experience with Quakers, so I'll go over these with her and we'll do more research on them.

As for adopting, of course! We always adopt if we have the possibility - it can be more work, but its always worth it.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

People told us that Amazons were a one person bird but Casper is quite meticulous in sharing his time between Margaret and I. He also is happy to use our friends as perches when he goes to stay with them... after a day of sulking because we have gone off and left him. Maybe he is more accommodating because of the years he spent in solitary confinement.
He is, at the moment, sitting on Margaret's shoulder watching and listening to the sounds of the jungle at night on YouTube with great interest.

[Lady]

Hi River,
Welcome to PP~ How exciting to be making a decision on a new family member. There is so much to think about for now and the future. This is a great place to read what others have discovered and learned on their journey that hopefully will help you out too.

[rivx]

Thank you!

Something I've forgotten to mention is that I do have asthma. With this in mind, I did take a trip out to meet a cockatiel to see if it'd bother my lungs - as I'd heard they were quite dusty. I spent a while with it, perhaps half an hour, and found it didn't cause any issues. Does this clear up any risk of a bird being a threat to my health?

Again, thanks for your advice. You've all been extremely helpful already.

[Lady]

I think that a half an hour is way to short to rule out the possibility of you having any issues with your bird and asthma. You surely need to read up on this as it can be a insightful process in deciding which type of bird to get.

[Quakerella]

I agree with Alice, a half an hour is too short to know if there will be an issue.

Birds can trigger asthma attacks. Cockatiels produce a lot of feather dust, as well as many other birds. This dust is so fine it travels through the air easily. If you suffer from asthma you will need to make sure the cage is cleaned daily as well as the area around it and never have the cage in your sleeping area. Bathing your bird will help quite a bit. It is manageable, but you do need to be very careful and diligent in your cleaning ritual. An air purifier will help, but do not get an ionizer it can be very dangerous for your bird.

[rivx]

I'd thought it might be - glad I double checked! My asthma is mostly triggered by exercise and cold rather than dust and things - but there's definitely still importance in being diligent and making sure this won't be a problem.
Can I ask how long I'd have to be around a bird to see if it arouses any issues? Any rescue & breeder near me would likely allow a 14 day trial, if it may be needed, but if that situation is avoidable (for the birds sake) that'd be lovely!
Sorry for so many questions.

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

Excellent questions, no worries. We are more than happy to help. We have a seven stage air purifier, it is very sensitive and sometimes winds itself up when I am having a whisky. It does need cleaning more often when we have the log fire burning. I can't answer your question about how long you need to be exposed, I suspect everyone is different and it depends how active the bird is.

[rivx]

Woops. I keep accidentally deleting this message in an attempt to edit it.

Anyways. I believe I have an air purifier on hand - I'll make sure its safe.

Final question (I think): what's the recommended cage size for a cockatiel or small conure? Most sources seem to think 18" x 18" is okay, but that seems a tad small, and I'm uncertain. Most sources also don't seem to list a height. Thoughts?

EDIT: And, as a side note, is there anything else to look out for in a cage?

[Dragonlady2]

I think "18 by "18 is too small for a conure or cockatiel. Probably minimum would be "24 by "20, but this is just my opinion, and I think even that might be a little small. Biggest is best seeing as that is their space for a number of hours per day. It can depend on the bird you get.

[rivx]

I agree. I saw this on a lot of sources and it definitely seemed way to small - I keep my mice in a cage only vaguely smaller than that -- I couldn't imagine a bird in the same conditions.
For birds, is there such a thing as a cage too large? I'm aware that in some animals, too much is scary, but I'm not sure if the same rule goes for birds.

[Dragonlady2]

Yes, some cages can be too large. The larger the cage, usually the bar spacing is wider. It's important to make sure that the bird can't get his head through/between the bars. I have a conure who will not accept a larger cage and will pluck himself if the cage is too large.

[rivx]

Thank you!

I've heard a lot about nonstick pans being bad for birds - I'm curious about the extent of this. I'm willing to replace pans and all, but I'm merely curious. Does this bother birds housed in other room, or is there no way around such a thing?

[Quakerella]

Teflon pans will cause respiratory distress in birds. Personally it is something I don't use in my house at all due to the gas that may be emitted. Remember though that teflon is not only on pans, but ovens and heat lamps as well

Here is just one link regarding the use of teflon. [Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks] It is an older one, but the results are still the same. There are many pots and pans available that are not coated with teflon and are wonderful to cook with. If possible stick to stainless.

[luckyandjenn]

Id like to add about you asthama question i have a blue and gold mac and i muself am a cronic asthamitic and as long as i keep the living room where his cage resides and i keep his cage clean im fine....i too wounderd about the pan thing .... i went and got a bunch of cheap stainless steal pans

[plax]

Thank you!

I've heard a lot about nonstick pans being bad for birds - I'm curious about the extent of this. I'm willing to replace pans and all, but I'm merely curious. Does this bother birds housed in other room, or is there no way around such a thing?Yes! Outgassing from PTFE (should a teflon-coated pan become overheated) can kill a bird several rooms away. I have read many case instances of such occurring. It's nothing to take a chance with.

Here is an additional link about PTFE and its lethal risk to pet birds:

[Users must be registered and logged in to view attached photos or hyperlinks]